Bridgewater Township receives grant for town hall renovations

Plans for renovation at the Bridgewater Township Hall include more ADA-compliant parking and access to the building. Image courtesy of Bridgewater Township.

by Marsha Chartrand

It’s probably been a while since you’ve looked closely at Bridgewater Township Hall on Clinton-Manchester Road. Tucked back from the road, with a small cemetery next door, it fits right in with the surrounding small farms and other residences on the busy road. By mid to late 2027, however, there will be a lot of commotion!

While serving the township well for the past 143 years, its small size comes with some drawbacks. All township work happens in the main room and the lack of separation hinders productivity and privacy. The restrooms are not ADA compliant, there is no secure storage for voting equipment, and only one barrier-free parking space although based on capacity at least two are required.

Now, thanks to the work of the township board and intervention by Rep. Debbie Dingell who made a recommendation to the House Appropriations Committee last year, the township will receive a $450,ooo federal grant to add 1,600 square feet of expanded space for offices, meeting areas, new restrooms, and ADA-access. The township must provide a 25% match so approximately $150,000 which will come from their general fund reserves for the project.  They anticipate the full cost of the project to be approximately $600,000.

Township Supervisor Laurie Fromhart explained that Bridgewater's project was one of the fifteen projects Dingell's office approved to put forward for funding and that it is her understanding they were only one of three projects in her district that actually received funding through the Continuing Resolution that was passed this past fall as part of the AG bill.

Fromhart said that talk of changes to the hall goes back at least 17 years. In 2009 the topic of enlarging and renovating the town hall was first brought to the table, receiving only a lukewarm response from some elder board members, particularly in reference to an addition to the building.

Fromhart came on the board in 2010 as clerk and began working her way behind the scenes to spearhead an effort to at least renovate the existing hall. At that time, she obtained a polling place improvement grant. Those renovations consisted of adding ADA parking, replacing the deteriorating entrance ramp (which was ADA non-compliant), and renovating the exterior and interior of the hall. She noted, “In addition we added vinyl siding to the exterior and replaced the windows. We also removed the drop ceiling that was added years ago, bringing the ceiling back to its original height of 14 feet, ... restored the schoolhouse pendant lighting and added recessed lighting and ceiling fans, ...restored the plaster walls and uncovered, and restored the beautiful ash wood floors that had been covered with carpet.”

With some of the most pressing needs met, the township hall addition went to the back burner but remained a goal. Fromhart researched grant opportunities on her own, and with the Board’s support decided to apply for the community project funding. Bridgewater’s preparation and organization spoke well in support of the township receiving the grant. Dingell’s office said that “our office makes these decisions based on the depth of community support, quality of submission, impact on constituents, and project readiness.”

“The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds, because it benefits the entire community by creating a more convenient, inviting, and efficient township hall that will better support community needs and improve use,” Dingell stated in her letter to the Appropriations Committee. “The project will also strengthen accessibility by addressing ADA and compliance issues.”

For now, there are several more applications to pour through; time to wait for the many inspections and processes that a government-sponsored program needs to undergo.  They are now in the process of submitting their application for the Community Facility grant appropriation to the USDA which requires an archeological survey and historian report. They have hired Heartsong Archaeology LLC to perform the work however they are currently at a standstill due to the weather.  The township is also required to submit an architectural feasibility study and have engaged Driven Design Studio. Fromhart says, “Our timeline for the project largely depends on how quickly we can move through the application process. We would like to break ground this year but, in all reality, it may not happen until next year."

She concluded, “We are very grateful for the outreach and support of Congresswoman Debbie Dingell’s office.”

Current view of the Bridgewater Township Hall. Photo courtesy of Bridgewater Township.

Proposed new site details. Image courtesy of Bridgewater Township.

by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.